News Releases from Region 9

U.S. EPA names top California organizations running on their own green power

U.S. EPA names top California organizations running on their own green powerIntel, Shaklee, Applied Materials, Butte College combined commitment avoids emissions equivalent to 177,300 cars on the road per year

(San Francisco, Calif -- 09/30/2009) – The U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership is honoring four California Green Power Partners for their commitment and contribution to help advance the nation’s voluntary green power market.

"We are proud of the accomplishments of our partners,” said Deborah Jordan, the EPA’s Air Division Director for the Pacific Southwest Region. “They are demonstrating their commitment to the environment by generating green power on-site and purchasing from green power producers. They are setting the standard for us all to follow."

Santa Clara-based Intel Corporation was one of only four organizations nationwide to be chosen as a Green Power Partner of the Year. The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves through their purchase, leadership, overall strategy, and impact on the green power market. Intel is currently purchasing more than 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually -- enough green power to meet 48 percent of the organization’s electricity use. The company is buying a utility green power product from PNM and renewable energy certificates from Sterling Planet, as well as generating green power on-site. The EPA previously recognized Intel Corporation as a Partner of the Year in 2008.

Pleasanton-based Shaklee Corporation was one of only ten organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for its green power purchase. The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who purchase green power from a utility green-pricing program, a competitive green marketer, or a renewable energy certificate supplier. The company is currently purchasing nearly 7 million kWh of green power annually -- enough green power to meet 108 percent of the organization’s electricity use. Shaklee Corporation is buying renewable energy certificates from Green Mountain Energy.

Santa Clara-based Applied Materials, Inc. was one of only three organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for the on-site generation of green power. The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who use on-site renewable energy applications, such as solar photovoltaic or wind energy projects. The company is currently generating 3.2 million kWh of green power annually. In addition to its on-site generation, Applied Materials purchases more than 31 million kWh of green power annually. In total, the company uses enough green power to meet 16 percent of its electricity use.

Butte College, located in Oroville, was one of only three organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for the on-site generation of green power. The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who use on-site renewable energy applications, such as solar photovoltaic or wind energy projects. The college is currently generating nearly 2.8 million kWh of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 39 percent of the organization’s electricity use.

Green power is electricity that is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. On-site green power is deployed directly at energy users' facilities rather than at central power plants. Green power reduces some types of air pollution more than conventional fossil fuel power and also produces no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Nominees are evaluated on the size and characteristics of their green power commitment, ingenuity used to overcome barriers, internal and external communication efforts, as well as overall renewable energy strategy.

The EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,100 partner organizations to voluntarily purchase green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. The EPA co-sponsors the Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions.